Improved bridle-bit



WILLIAM S. FORD, OF CLINTON, ILLINOIS. r

Lettere Patent No. 77,810, dated May 12, 1868.

IMPEOVED BRIDLE-B'IT.

' tlarlganle afina in' iii tlgse'rtters @una 'ma dating niet nf tigesans.

TO ALL WHOM IT` MAYCONCERN:

Bc it known that I, WILLIAM S. FORD, of Clinton, in thecounty of DeWitt, and in the State of Illinois, have invented anew and usefulImprovement in Bridle-Bits; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact descriptidn thereof, referente being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked'thereon, making part of this specification, in Which- Figure 1 is a planof the bridle-bit inverted, andl I Figure 2 is a front elevationof thesame.H

My invention consists in attaching, to each end of the bit-mouth,a tubeof such form as to allow a fiat check-strap to pass'down through it, andto twist one-fourthA round while in the tube, so that, when it comesthrough, itwill hein the proper position to attach the driving-rein.'At-the same time, the tube will slide freely ou the stra-p, so that,when the bit is drawn up, by drawing on the reins, its own gravitationwill readjust it in its proper position when the lines are relaxed. A 4

A is the bit-mouth, tb the ends of Iwhich are attached the tubes B B.The upper ends of the tube are rec'tangulalgas shown ata, fig. 1, therectangular orices'beingof such size as to allow the check-strap t passfreely through it. Y

From near the upper end, tho tube is gradually enlarged outward, auditscrossssectiou assumes the form of a quadrant, as shown in iig. 1,thecurvc being from the front of the tube outward.

C C vis'tho.cheek-strap, the upper end of which is connected to theheadstall, and passes down parallel to the cheek of the horse, theatside next the check, as shown in iig. 2, the swell and form ofthetubes allowing the straps to twist one-fourth'round, so as to be inproper 'position to connect the driving-reins, as shown in the`drawings. A roin for riding-bridles may be connected in thc samemauner'as the driving-rein.l

By drawing upon the reins, the bit is'drawn up into the mouth,lservingas an eii'ectual check to the horse. When the reins, on account of' thepeculiar construction of the tubes B B, are'relaxed, the bit willreadily adjust itself by its own gravity, without any additional weight.

An adjustable collar, or equivalent device, may be placed on' the strapC, after passing through the tubes B, so as to adjust and sustain thebit to suit horses'with heads of different lengths. The chcek-strapsmay, if

desired,- be a continuation of the reins, with the adjustable collarattached, as described. 1 v D D are rings, secured to thctubes B, onaline .with the ends of the bit-mouth, to which may be attached thedriving or check-rcin, if desired. The lower ends of the tubes are alsoprovided with'loops'or rings as shown in iig. 1, to which the reins maybe attached when it is not desired to have them drawn through 'thetubes. When thus used, the bit will be similar to those in common use.

The advantages .of my improved bit are, that, by the peculiarconstruction of the tubes, I am enabled to. vuse flat straps in them,which are much stronger than round ones, when drawn around an angle,and, consequently, safer with spirited or vicious horses, and aremuchmore cheaply constructed.

Having thus described my invention, 'what I iclaim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, -is-. The tubes B B, when formed as described.in combination with the bit-mouth A and cheek-straps C` C, as

and for the purpose set forth. l

In testimony that I claim the above-described improvement inbridle-bits, I havehcreunto signed my name,

this day of 1868.Y E

l WILLIAM S. FORD.

Witnesses: v

WILLIAM H. BRITTIN, JOHN R. BLacKroRn..

